1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to training methods and devices for the practice of sporting and impacting skills, and more specifically, to the teaching and practice of ball-hitting techniques using an interchangeable device subject to a wide variety of conditions.
2. Prior Art
Many activities require proper impact with an object. It is customary to practice the impact as extensively as possible before a final, or non-practice effort is undertaken. Thus many sports require contact with a ball during play, and much effort is spent in practice to master proper timing and contact.
In tennis, for example, it is important to practice stroking and serving. In baseball, batting practice is an important aspect of training. In many other sports, such as those which require a body response or kicking, it also is important to practice contact with the ball. For example, fear of heading a soccer ball by jumping or diving is common among inexperienced or young players.
In the past, proper ball contact commonly has been taught by explanation and demonstration, followed by tossing a ball at a practicing player, who attempts to deal suitably with the ball. This method can increase a player's fear of unsatisfactory performance and reinforce improper techniques.
For many sports, training devices are known which can assist in the development of effective techniques. Examples include the "Jump Trainer" for basketball and volleyball practice, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,925, issued Oct. 27, 1981; the "Tether Ball Apparatus" of U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,458, Jun. 19, 1979; the "Tethered Ball Tennis Instruction Device" of U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,669, Jul. 8, 1975; the "Batting Practice Apparatus" of U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,726, Nov. 17, 1970; the "Supporting Structure and Ball Releasably Suspended Therefrom" of U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,885, Aug. 20, 1968; the "Miniaturized Table Tennis Game with Captive Ball" of U.S. Pat. No. 3,477,717, Nov. 11, 1969; the Foldable Captive Ball Game Apparatus" of U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,703, Jul. 26, 1966; the "Batting Practice and Training Device" of U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,317, Jan. 19, 1965; the "Ball Holder" for baseball practice of Anson U.S. Pat. No. 2,772,882, Dec. 4, 1956; and the "Game Apparatus" of U.S. Pat. No. 1,441,221, Jan. 9, 1923.
The foregoing training devices suffer from inadequate portability, restriction to use with special and often complex frames, undue complexity and accompanying high cost.
Other sports training devices suffer from similar difficulties. Thus Keller U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,372 issued Mar. 4, 1980 for "Tennis Trainer Device", pictured in FIG. 9A, discloses an angular support arm for a practice tennis ball attached to a vertical post by a member of circular cross-section. This is needed for the kind of telescopic adjustments prescribed by Keller. Similrly, Hargreave U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,742 issued Nov. 21, 1989 for "Volleyball Technique Trainer" pictured in FIG. 9B also makes telescopic adjustments. Likewise, Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,946 issued Oct. 29, 1991 for "Volleyball Practice Device" pictured in FIG. 9C makes telescopic adjustment using a sprocket and teeth engagement. In addition the end of a polygonal arm in Taylor is blocked by a shaft that is carried by a bearing.
Another telescopic adjustment is shown in Radley British Patent Specification 305,265 accepted Feb. 4, 1929 for "Improvements in Appliances for Golf Practice".
The telescopic adjustments of Keller, Hargreave, Taylor and Radley are undesirable because they add to complexity and reduced stability.
In addition, Keller, Hargreave and Taylor teach portability which would be completly defeated if stabilization were attempted, for example, in the fashion of French Patent 1,317,990 delivered Jan. 7, 1963 for "Jeu d'Adresse" pictured in FIG. 9D. The French patent discloses a fixed extension of a mast for encasement in the ground, and, therefore, is not easily portable.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to avoid the need for telescopic adjustments. Another object is to achieve simultaneous portability and ground stability.
Hargreave and Taylor must use telescopic adjustments because their balls are fixed in relation to their ball-support arms. Keller likewise must use a telescopic adjustment because of a height adjustment limitation set by the weight that he employs.
Accordingly, another object of the invention is to overcome the need for fixed positioning of practice balls in relation to ball-support arms.
Moreover, Keller, Hargreave and Taylor need to use fasteners, or their equivalents, to stabilize their standards. Thus Keller and Hargreave use drilled cross-sections with bolts, nuts or keys to secure arms to vertical posts, and Taylor requires welding.
It is desirable to permit total freedom of adjustment by having components that are not fixed by bolts, nuts, keys or the like. Thus the arms in Keller and Hargreave do not permit such adjustment because their arms require adjustment by a drilled cross-section and a key position lock. Similarly, the generally horizontal ball-supporting arm in Taylor is connected to a vertical pole by welding.
Accordingly, any attachment of arms to a generally vertical post following the teachings of Keller, Hargreave or Taylor would be accompanied by the need for a telescopic adjustment. Radley is similarly objectionable in teaching an arm with a hooked end that is used in supporting cords that, in turn, support a drilled ball. The arm in Radley has an end section that slopes downwardly in the fashion of Keller, supporting the drilled ball, and like Hargreave, needs to use a fastener or equivalent to stabilize a standard. The end of the arm in Radley also has a set of indentations which would could cause entanglement with the cord if the practice ball received a sufficient impact.
Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide a device for use in training players in effective and safe ball-hitting techniques.
It is also an object of the invention that such device be of simple and inexpensive construction.
Another object is to provide a device in light-weight form that can be disassembled quickly and easily for transport to a training site, such as in the trunk of an automobile.
Still another object is to provide a device that can easily and quickly be adapted for different kinds of ball-hitting (e.g., baseball or tennis) and different mounting options (e.g., pole-mounted or wall-mounted).
A further object is to provide device which, in use, will overcome the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art.
Still another object of the invention is to permit total freedom of adjustment of a ball up to the free end. A related object is avoid the need for telescopic vertical pole adjustment.
By contrast, the invention permits total freedom of adjustment. An arm is received, but is not fixed by bolts, nuts, keys or the like.